10/19/06
Haunted 'L' Train Begins Thursday Evening
The Mayor's Office of Special Events and the Chicago Office of Tourism present the Haunted 'L' train. Ghouls and ghosts can ride the train on Thursday and Friday evenings, and on Saturdays from October 19 through October 28.
Trips on the Haunted 'L' are free, but guests must obtain tickets before boarding from the Chicago Cultural Center's Visitor Information Center, located at 77 East Randolph. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are only offered on the current day the Haunted 'L' is in operation. Ticket distribution begins at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and at 10 a.m. on Saturdays.
(See separate press release for schedule information)
LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Street Closures Begin Friday
Columbus will be closed from Balbo to Roosevelt, and Balbo will be closed from Michigan to Columbus from 10 a.m. Friday, October 20 until 6 a.m. Monday, October 23. Additionally, Columbus will be closed from Balbo to Congress from 10 a.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Sunday. Congress will be closed between Michigan and Columbus from 4 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sunday.
CTA will operate earlier service on the #3 King Drive bus route between McCormick Place (from 6 a.m. until 8:30 a.m.) and Michigan and Chicago (from 6:22 a.m. until 8:47 a.m.) to accommodate runners and spectators. Service will run every 15 minutes. Because bus routes in the vicinity of the marathon also will be impacted with intermittent reroutes, customers should allow extra travel time.
CTA will operate longer trains and extra buses to accommodate spectators. Additional CTA personnel will be on duty at select stations along the Blue, Red, Green, Brown, Pink and Orange lines and at major bus stops to assist customers and to provide travel information.
(See separate release for details)
Red Line Washington Subway Station Temporarily Closes for Construction Next Week
Effective Monday, October 23, the Red Line Washington station will temporarily close for construction.
The Washington platform, the mezzanine located between Washington and Madison and its four street-level entrances, and the free transfer tunnel connecting the Red and Blue Lines at Washington also will close as a result of the construction.
During construction, customers still will be able to access the State Street subway and Red Line trains via the adjacent Lake station to the north and the adjacent Monroe station to the south. Entrances to these stations are just one block to the north and south of the entrances to the Washington Station.
Red Line trains will continue normal operation through the State Street subway with the exception of bypassing the Washington station. Trains will continue to stop at the North/Clybourn, Clark/Division, Chicago, Grand, Lake, Monroe, Jackson, Harrison and Roosevelt subway stations.
Customers will continue to have free transfers between the Red and the Blue lines via the pedestrian transfer tunnel at the Jackson station, just south of Washington.
(See separate release for details)
#19 United Center Express Buses Serve Chicago Bulls 2006-2007 Games
The CTA will operate its #19 United Center Express buses for Chicago Bulls basketball games at the United Center for the 2006-2007 season (including pre-season games).
Buses will leave every 12 minutes from Michigan and Superior starting two hours before game time until 30 minutes before games begin. When the games end, #19 buses will depart the United Center every 12 minutes for one hour.
#19 buses will make all stops on Michigan from Superior to Washington, and on Madison from Wabash to Clinton. From Clinton, #19 buses run express to the United Center.
After the games, #19 buses will await customers on the north side of the United Center eastbound on Madison near Gate 3. On return trips, #19 buses operate through downtown east on Washington, making all stops from Jefferson to Michigan before turning north on Michigan and making all stops from Randolph to Chicago.
Halloween Parade Closes Downtown Streets Saturday
State Street will be closed between Lake and Monroe, Monroe will be closed between State and Dearborn, and Dearborn will be closed between Monroe and Randolph from noon until 2 p.m. Saturday, October 21.
Buses on the #6 Jackson Park Express, #10 Museum of Science & Industry, #14 Jeffery Express, #20 Madison, #29 State, #36 Broadway, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th, #62 Archer, #124 Navy Pier, #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express and #151 Sheridan may experience intermittent service delays and may be rerouted to adjacent streets during the parade.
Customers should allow extra travel time.
Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project:
Red and Brown Line Customers Allow Extra Travel Time This WeekendBrown Line Shuttle Train Saturday and Sunday
Construction work planned for this weekend will require reroutes of north and southbound Red and Brown Line trains. This could cause delays in service so customers are advised to allow extra travel time. Several major construction projects are currently underway on the rail system and CTA is working to minimize the impact on customers while coordinating efforts to accommodate multiple construction crews.
Brown Line, Saturday, October 21 ? 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
A shuttle train will operate in both directions on what is normally the northbound track, making stops at Kedzie, Rockwell and Western.
From Western, Brown Line customers traveling northbound must board the shuttle train on the northbound platform. At the Kedzie and Rockwell stations, Brown Line customers must board the shuttle train to the Western station on the north side of the platform.
Brown Line, Saturday, October 21 ? 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A shuttle train will operate in both directions on what is normally the southbound track, making stops at Kedzie, Rockwell and Western.
From Western, Brown Line customers traveling northbound must board the shuttle train on the southbound platform. At the Kedzie and Rockwell stations, Brown Line customers must board the shuttle train to the Western station on the south side of the platform.
Belmont and Fullerton Stations
1 a.m. Saturday, October 21 to 4 a.m., Monday, October 23
Red Line trains will share tracks with southbound Brown Line trains at the Belmont and Fullerton stations. Southbound Red Line customers will board on the west side of the platform where southbound Brown Line customers board.
Northbound Red and Brown Line service will not be affected. Normal Red Line service will resume at 4 a.m. Monday at Belmont and Fullerton.
(See separate release for details)
Red Line - Dan Ryan Branch Rehabilitation:
CTA is working to replace track, power and signal systems and upgrade stations along the branch. When the work is completed, customers will experience more reliable service and modern station amenities.
Late Night Single Track in Effect on Red Line Over Weekend
A single track will be in effect between 69th and 87th from 8 p.m. Friday, October 20 until 8 a.m. Saturday, October 21, and again in the same location from 8 p.m. Saturday, October 21 until 4 a.m. Sunday, October 22. During the Friday single track, north and southbound customers boarding at the 69th and 79th stations must board on the west side of the platform. During the Saturday single track, north and southbound customers boarding at the 69th and 79th stations must board on the east side of the platform.
Single Track in Effect on Red Line Sunday Night
A single track will be in effect between 87th and 94th from 9 p.m. Sunday, October 22 until 4 a.m. Monday, October 23. North and southbound customers boarding at the 87th station must board on the west side of the platform.
Late Night Single Track in Effect on Red Line Next Week
A single track will be in effect between 69th and 79th from 11 p.m. Monday, October 23 until 4 a.m. Tuesday, October 24 and again in the same location, during the same hours Tuesday night. During the Monday single track, north and southbound customers boarding at the 69th station must board on the west side of the platform. During the Tuesday single track, north and southbound customers boarding at the 69th station must board on the east side of the platform.
A single track will be in effect between 87th and 94th from 11 p.m. Wednesday, October 25 until 4 a.m. Thursday, October 26 and again in the same location, during the same hours Thursday night. North and southbound customers boarding at the 87th station must board on the west side of the platform.
Blue Line Signal Upgrade:
CTA is working to upgrade approximately 20 miles of the existing 40-year-old train control system and power supply equipment from the Forest Park terminal of the Blue Line Forest Park branch through the Dearborn subway to the Jefferson Park station of the Blue Line O'Hare branch.
These systems ensure the safe operation and movement of trains and the appropriate speed and distance between trains as well as help CTA personnel manage rail service in the event of an emergency. The upgraded signal system will result in improved reliability of service for Blue Line customers, and also includes upgrades to the power cables and communication system needed to connect the Red Line State Street subway and Blue Line Dearborn Street subway.
Late Night Single Track in Effect on Blue Line Forest Park Branch Over Weekend
A three-phase single track will be in effect between the Western and Pulaski stations from 11 p.m. Friday, October 20 to 7 a.m. Saturday, October 21.
From 11 p.m. Friday until 2 a.m. Saturday, the single track will be in effect between the Western and Kedzie-Homan stations. North and southbound customers boarding at the Western station must board on the north side of the platform.
From 2 a.m. until 6 a.m. Saturday, the single track will be in effect between the Western and Pulaski stations. North and southbound customers boarding at the Western and Kedzie-Homan stations must board on the north side of the platform.
From 6 a.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday, the single track will be in effect between the Western and Kedzie-Homan stations. North and southbound customers boarding at the Western station will board on the north side of the platform.
A two-phase single track will be in effect in the same location from 9 p.m. Saturday, October 21 to 5 a.m. Sunday, October 22.
From 9 p.m. Saturday until 2 a.m. Sunday, the single track will be in effect between the Western and Kedzie-Homan stations.
North and southbound customers boarding at the Western station must board on the south side of the platform.
From 2 a.m. until 5 a.m. Sunday, the single track will be in effect between the Western and Pulaski stations. North and southbound customers boarding at the Western and Kedzie-Homan stations must board on the south side of the platform.
Customers should allow extra travel time.
Late Night Single track in Effect on Blue Line Forest Park Branch Next Week
A single track will be in effect between the Harlem and Forest Park stations from 11 p.m. Monday, October 23 until 4 a.m. Tuesday, October 24 and again in the same location, during the same hours Tuesday night. North and southbound customers boarding at the Harlem station must board on the north side of the platform.
47th Street Closed for Sewer Work through November 30
47th is closed between Wood and Honore weekdays from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. through Thursday, November 30. Westbound #47 47th Street buses will operate via 47th, Ashland, 51st, Damen, back to 47th, then resume the regular route.
26th Street Closes for Railroad Crossing Work through October 29
Beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, October 23, 26th Street will be closed in both directions at Kenton through Sunday, October 29. Westbound #60 Blue Island/26th buses will operate via 26th, Kostner, Ogden, Cicero, then enter the terminal. Eastbound buses will depart the terminal at Cicero, Ogden, Kostner, 26th, then resume the regular route.
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